And I Will Keep You Company
by Kyrosai
Summary: My take on how Federico and Kadar could ever possibly get together. Two different one-shots. PLEASE READ THE AUTHOR'S NOTE AT THE BEGINNING! FedericoXKadar is in the first chapter, KadarXFederico in the second. Rated T just to be safe.
1. FedericoXKadar: Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: The Assassin's Creed series and its characters belong to Ubisoft/Ubisoft Montreal

**Warnings**: maleXmale love (though it's more hinted at than anything else), some minor spoilers

**Author's Note **_**(PLEASE READ!!)**_: This fic is actually two fics put into one, and they are separated into their own chapters. They are both the same thing, basically, except that the first chapter is FedericoXKadar and the second chapter is KadarXFederico (which I should be posting shortly, or by tomorrow latest). So yes, they are almost exactly the same. The only real difference between them is that there are a few slight personality changes in Federico and Kadar.

Also, I apologize if anything is confusing. I tried to make it all understandable, but I was writing this rather quickly. I have other fics that I really need to get to, so I sort of rushed this a little. Hopefully those who requested it will be happy with it.

* * *

"Robert de Sable. His life is mine."

"No. We were asked to retrieve the treasure and deal with Robert only if necessary."

"He stands between us and it! I'd say it's necessary."

"Discretion, Altair!"

"You mean cowardice. That man is our greatest enemy, and here we have a chance to be rid of him."

Kadar waited as his brother argued with Altair. He was at a loss as to who he should agree with, so instead he kept silent and let his eyes wander over to where Robert de Sable stood. Their hated enemy. He was surrounded by only a few guards with little else protecting him. Perhaps Kadar's idol was right. This seemed like a good chance to kill him once and for all.

"You have already broken two tenets of our Creed. Now you would break the third. Do not compromise the brotherhood!"

"I am your superior, in both title and ability! You should know better than to question me."

With that, Altair jumped down from their vantage point. Kadar glanced at his brother, wondering if they should follow. Malik was obviously upset as he ground his teeth in frustration, but he followed Altair without another word, so Kadar did likewise.

Altair approached the tall Templar, but before he reached him, the Assassin called out, "Hold, Templars! You are not the only ones with business here." Kadar thought it was odd. It was part of their Creed to hide in plain sight, to not expose themselves to the enemy. Shouldn't they have at least tried to sneak up on the soldiers? Something seemed wrong here, but Kadar decided to trust his idol. Altair probably knew what he was doing… right?

Robert turned to greet them. "Ah! Well, this explains my missing man. And what is it _you_ want?"

"Blood." Altair leapt forward, but Robert caught his arm before the hidden blade could sink into his neck. Kadar saw then that Robert was beyond them in skill, for how else could he have held off Altair's blade? Perhaps his brother had been right to question this plan, and Kadar regretted not believing in him.

Robert sneered down at the smaller Assassin. "You know not the things in which you meddle, Assassin. I spare you only that you may return to your Master and deliver a message. The Holy Land is lost to him and his. He should flee now while he has the chance. Stay, and all of you will die." With that, the Templar hurled Altair through the passageway. Rubble fell behind him, and Kadar found that he and Malik were trapped here to deal with the Templars themselves. Which meant that they were in trouble.

Just as Robert ordered his men to kill the Assassins, Malik threw himself in front of Kadar at the first of the Templars. Kadar froze in shock and fear. Fear for himself and fear for his brother who had always been there for him. Protecting him as he did now. But Malik was being pressed back, and Kadar saw Robert moving towards them. Malik would not last long. Already his arm was wounded badly. Kadar knew that he had to do something.

Then a flash of light caught his eye. An orb rested on a small stand, radiating with a golden beauty. It captured Kadar's eyes, and the novice knew at once that it was the treasure they had come for.

Kadar ran for it. There was nothing else he could think of doing. He wasn't as good at fighting as his brother was. He would only get in the way.

The treasure was within reach, but as his fingers grasped it, he froze again. The power that came from it nearly overwhelmed him. His eyes drifted into the mist that swirled within it, and he could feel himself letting go of reality. He was not strong enough to resist the pull, and he knew it.

A shout from Robert made him wake long enough for him to remember his brother. Malik was trying so hard to protect him, the least he could do was help him finish the mission. Kadar's weak mind was already falling back into the treasure, but with the last bit of strength he possessed, Kadar threw the orb to Malik.

Immediately afterward, he felt two things. The first was a searing pain running up his side, and he knew it was Robert's blade running him through. The second was a pain of a different sort. One that he had never felt before. It was almost as if his very soul was being torn from his body, and he cried out in fear and agony. He didn't want to die, and he didn't want to lose his soul. He could remember looking past Robert's shoulder as he slumped against the man, defeated. He remembered looking into his brother's eyes and seeing the horror in them.

"… Run," Kadar choked out through the blood that clotted his throat. He didn't say it very loud, but he knew Malik understood.

Kadar lost himself to the light that enveloped him, but he was content that he had done all he could to save his brother. He didn't feel the sword tear out of his body. He didn't watch as Malik blinked back tears before he turned and ran. Kadar was completely at peace in the light. Was this Heaven? He thought it must be, but he didn't wonder for long before his eyes shut and he let himself fall.

* * *

He wasn't sure how long he slept. Time was strange in this place. Kadar's eyes opened blearily. Golden light broke through the fog surrounding him, but it wasn't blinding. Actually, it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

Where was he? He had thought it was Heaven. He still thought that, but it was a strange Heaven. Was Heaven supposed to be this… empty? He was warm and at peace, but there was nothing there. Surely Heaven would have people in it.

He suddenly remembered the light from the treasure in Solomon's Temple, and he realized it had the same color as the light here. Did that orb have something to do with this? He thought about the last thing he had felt before he fell asleep. It was as though he had been taken from his body. Could it have been the treasure? Was the treasure itself a gate to Heaven, or was it perhaps Heaven itself?

But wait, what had happened to Malik?! That question was more important to Kadar than all the others combined. Had his brother died in the Temple? Or had he escaped? Kadar had to know, and he turned in circles trying to find _something_ that would lead him to Malik. Where was his brother?! _Where_?!

Something shifted in the air, and Kadar was suddenly assaulted with memories, but they were not _his_ memories. They were events from the world he had grown up in. They were the _memories_ of the world, though how he knew that, he could not say.

The memories shuffled past him quickly, rising and falling in the mist until one window in particular appeared before him. A man stood before Kadar. No, two – _four_ men, but one caught his eye more than the others. He was dressed in a black robe that reminded Kadar of the customary Rafiq apparel. The novice looked closer and realized that he knew the man, though an arm was missing. Malik! His brother! He had survived!

Kadar was happy. In fact, he was _more_ than happy. He had been so worried, but seeing his brother alive, he was relieved and excited. Malik seemed to be staring right at him. All of the men were, actually. They appeared to be awed by something. Could Malik see him here? Kadar called out to him, but Malik gave no indication that he had heard. Kadar called again, but still no reaction. The cold truth hit him then. Malik could not hear him in this place. Kadar remembered then that he was dead, and Malik would never see him again. He would never again pat Kadar's head and ruffle his hair. He would never again call Kadar 'little brother.'

It wasn't fair. Was he in Heaven or not? If he was, then shouldn't he be happy? And if he wasn't, then where was he? Why couldn't his brother hear him, and why couldn't Kadar join him out there beyond this window? Kadar cried out his brother's name again and again, but still Malik would not hear him. _Could_ not hear him. Kadar fell to his knees and cried into his hands. Why had this happened? Why was he alone here? _It wasn't fair!_

In his pain, he did not even feel himself drift back to sleep.

* * *

He woke again, but as before, he did not know how long he slept. He still felt at peace, but the light no longer gave him warmth. Kadar scowled at the fog. What warmth could it possibly give him if there was no one here with which to share it anyway?

But there _was_ something it could give him. It could give him a window into the world. He tried to remember how to summon those memories, but even as he thought that, he changed his mind. It wasn't _memories_ of the world that he wanted. He wanted to know what was happening _now_. Time was odd here, and he wanted to know how long he had been in this place.

Even has he felt the need to know these things, a new window appeared before him. It showed a city. One that looked similar to Masyaf, but somehow different. He tried to will the image to go down into the streets, and it did. He turned corner after corner, and he recognized that yes, it _was_ Masyaf, the place where he had been raised since early childhood. But it was different. The people weren't the same, and some of the buildings were gone or replaced by newer ones. It had changed. Had Kadar truly been sleeping so long that the entire city had grown this much without him?

And what of the Assassins? Were they still there? He willed that the window show him his brothers in the present time, and suddenly everything became a blur. A new city appeared before him, but this one was far different from Masyaf, or any other city he had ever been to. There were flowers in the streets, people who were richly clothed, architecture that seemed to put more thought into decoration than defense. It was amazing, and Kadar stared in awe at it. He had never known such beauty was possible.

Suddenly, the window dived into the streets, winding its way between merchant stall and warehouse before climbing up a tall building to settle on two men who climbed its side. They looked alike enough that Kadar thought they were brothers. The taller one reached the top first, then held out a hand to help the other one up.

With a small, kind smile, the older one said, "It is a good life we live, brother." The language was different from the one Kadar knew, but he somehow understood it nonetheless. Perhaps it was the treasure which was helping him? Before Kadar could think further on it, the other man spoke up.

"Ah. The best. May it never change."

"And may it never change us."

The two fascinated Kadar. As they took to their own separate ways, he wanted to follow one. For a moment he was unsure which, but then he realized that the smaller one reminded him very much of Altair. There was an air of… _arrogance_ about him, Kadar thought bitterly. Altair had been arrogant. And it had lost Kadar his life, something that the novice could not forgive so easily.

So he followed the taller one instead. The man seemed kind and he did little to hide how much he cared for his brother. It was a strange quality in an Assassin to be so open with one's emotions. Even Malik had been somewhat reserved when they had been together. Kadar wanted to learn more about this man. But more than that, he wanted to pretend that this man could be like his own older brother. To pretend that when he smiled that caring smile, it was being directed at Kadar. The novice missed Malik. He missed companionship of _any_ sort. Maybe pretending that this man was his own family was all he _could_ do now. But then, Kadar had always been a dreamer, which was one of the reasons why he still remained a novice even until his death. He had never paid careful attention to anything, always allowing his mind to wander elsewhere.

So Kadar would pretend, because there was nothing else he could do in that empty, lonely place where he feared he would be spending the rest of eternity.

* * *

It was a trap. Somehow, the Templars had sniffed out this family of Assassins and were moving in to arrest them. The soldiers claimed the father, Giovanni, then the smaller brother, Petruccio. Kadar could only watch in horror as they searched for Federico.

Why did things always have to end up like this with him? Over the short time that he had been watching the man, Kadar had grown attached to Federico. He didn't want anything bad to happen to him, but it didn't seem that he could do anything to help him. He watched in despair as the man paced in his room, oblivious to the soldiers that were bearing down on him. The knock came on his door, and Federico turned and started for it, reaching out a hand to open it. Kadar cried out for him to stop, _willed_ for him to stop. He begged him to run, to save himself.

"Please, Federico! Hear me! _Don't open the door_!"

* * *

The moment his hand touched the knob, Federico knew something was wrong. He couldn't explain it, but he suddenly had the feeling that he needed to leave. Something was pulling him away from his door, toward the window. Like it was pulling at his very soul.

The knock came again, louder, but Federico hesitated. Suddenly something hammered against it, and he realized that whoever was on the other side was trying to break down his door. Surprised, Federico decided to follow that pull and he ran to the window.

He hopped down to the street below, then ran to an alley nearby where he could see the front door to his home clearly. Federico could do nothing but watch as the soldiers dragged his father and youngest brother out of their home in cuffs. He did not see them take Ezio, and for once he was glad for Ezio's usual absence from home. What was not so fortunate, however, was that he did not see his mother or sister. Surely they would be arguing heatedly with the soldiers all the way to the door. Their absence was worried him.

He prepared himself to steal into the house to find them when he felt that tug on his soul again. He turned toward where it was pulling him and found himself face to face with a soldier. The man was as surprised as Federico was to see him. Federico quickly whipped out his dagger and clocked the man on the side of his head, rendering him unconscious, but not before the man yelled out for his friends.

Federico didn't wait for the other soldiers. As the man fell heavily to the hard ground and a small group of footsteps rushed toward him, Federico ran up the nearest building and into the night.

He could almost feel his father's eyes follow him as he disappeared from sight.

* * *

Federico looked Ezio over. "That outfit. It was father's, wasn't it?" His voice shook with weariness. Ezio's eyes hardened and he gave a terse nod. They had both just watched their father and little brother die unjustly earlier that day, and they both took the loss hard. Ezio in particular was angry. More angry than Federico had ever seen him. Federico was too, but he knew that he could never hate their enemies as much as Ezio did. Federico looked more closely at his brother and saw more than hatred, though. There was cold anger, one that demanded justice. And there was determination. Federico could see that Ezio was no longer the little brother he had once known. He was a man now, and one with a purpose.

Suddenly, Federico remembered those strange sensations of being pulled from danger. They had not come from him, they had been something else. Something magical. Someone or something had saved him, and Federico wanted to know why. Though it was different from Ezio's, Federico realized that he, too, had a new purpose in life. To find the source of this strange entity that had guided him. But that meant that they would be parting ways. Federico could not join his brother in revenge, at least not yet, and he knew Ezio could not pull himself from his anger to join Federico.

Federico took one last, long look at his brother. They might not see each other again for a long time, and when they finally did, they would be changed men. Still brothers, Federico had no doubt, but changed nonetheless. And so Federico kept this image of his brother in his mind. Ezio stood tall in the white, decorative Assassin clothes. Confident. If nothing else good came of all this, at least Federico could be proud that his brother had finally grown up.

With nothing else to say, Federico merely stated, "The outfit suits you very well, brother."

Ezio blinked, momentarily stunned from his hatred and rage. He looked at his older brother directly for the first time since their father and Petruccio had been murdered. Then, slowly, he nodded.

Federico didn't look back as he rode out of the city. When he was far enough away, he looked to the sky and called out for guidance. Nothing happened for a long moment, and he wasn't sure if anyone heard him until he suddenly felt again that slight tug, this one more hesitant than the others. Without any hesitation on his own part, Federico followed it.

* * *

Months had come and gone, and the path had been treacherous and difficult, but as he stared in fascination at the small golden globe before him, Federico truly believed that the journey had been worth it. In awe, he picked it up, and the mist that swirled inside it mesmerized him. He felt that familiar tug at his soul, and he followed it that last step into the sphere.

He gasped as he felt himself fall. The sensation was so sudden that he nearly panicked. Soon enough, however, he felt his fall slow, then stop completely. His feet touched ground, but when he looked beneath him, he saw only mist.

A head appeared before him, and he took a step back in surprise. From the head appeared a neck, then shoulders, then arms and torso. Soon enough, a full man stood before Federico. A human. Federico stared at him in amazement. Who was this man, and where had he come from? But more importantly, was he the one who had called to Federico? Who had saved him?

Federico licked his lips and swallowed as he tried to gather the courage to ask the stranger his questions, but the man beat him to it.

A brilliant smile stretched out on the tanned face and the stranger gave a small, light laugh. "I'm so glad you made it here! I was worried you would give up, and that I would have to stay here alone." The look on his face was pure and innocent. It reminded Federico of his little brother, Petruccio, when he brought the boy a new feather. Federico could not help but smile in return. The memory reminded him that his little brother was dead now, but at least the memory itself had been a happy one.

"Were you the one who helped me? Who warned me of the soldiers beyond my door?"

The man nodded eagerly. "My name is Kadar. I have wanted to meet you for a long time! Well, I mean, face to face, anyway. Because I have been watching you for a while now. Not all the time, though! I still granted you your privacy when it was due, truly!"

Federico laughed. He did not quite understand what this Kadar was talking about, but he seemed so innocent that Federico could not help but laugh at the blush spreading quickly across the man's face.

Suddenly, Kadar bit his bottom lip nervously, the smile gone and replaced by one that Federico could not quite make out. "I… you will be staying here, won't you? At least for a little while, right?"

Federico blinked as he realized that this Kadar had been lonelier than he had thought. It touched something in him. This place did seem rather empty, and Kadar probably had no one else to share the space with. Federico found himself nodding before he could truly think it through.

"_Si_, I will stay with you a while." Kadar smiled broadly again, but as was usually the way when Federico was dealing with someone as innocent and young as this, the Assassin was suddenly struck by a need to tease the smaller man. "Of course, I can't stay very long. I have things to do back home." He pretended to look around distastefully. "Besides, this place is strange. I don't like the decorations. Or rather, I do not like the lack thereof. I don't think I will stay very long. Surely you understand."

Kadar's smile faltered a little, but he nodded in understanding. Who would want to stay forever in this place with a complete stranger like him, anyway? "Ah, yes. Whatever you wish." His head lowered a little. Was he doomed to be alone forever?

Federico's mouth twitched, but he kept a straight face as he stepped up to Kadar and held out a hand to cup the tanned face, lifting the man's head up to stare deeply into the dark eyes. He was struck by how adorable the man was as he pouted ever so slightly. But there was also that dejected look in his eyes, and Federico felt obligated to remove that sadness. In a softer tone, Federico said, "But I will be sure to come again tomorrow."

Hope sparked in Kadar's eyes. "S-so you will be staying in the area for a little while?"

"Staying around here? Of course not." Kadar looked confused, but Federico continued before he could say anything. "I will be taking you with me."

The raw emotion in the smaller man's eyes following that statement hit Federico hard, and Federico knew that he could never tear himself away from the man so easily. He also knew, however, that he needed to get back to Ezio, for even though his little brother had grown quickly, he would still need a lot of help to take out these Templars. But it seemed to him that with such a small object that Kadar lived in, it would not be so difficult a thing to carry. He couldn't leave Kadar by himself, and he couldn't leave Ezio to try to handle Assassin affairs on his own, so the only option left was to bring Kadar with him.

Federico liked this plan. Kadar was interesting, and Federico knew he could get to like this man, perhaps even love him as much as he did the rest of his family. Federico would protect him, and he would be there for him always. It was the least that he deserved. That _anyone_ deserved.

"Thank you! I don't know what I would have done if I had to stay in this place for much longer by myself! You are truly a very kind man to take me with you."

Federico's hand lifted to rest on the man's cheek, and he smiled gently. "You saved my life, little one. It is _I_ who should be thanking _you_."

Kadar's smile widened. He was happy. Very much so. Federico wanted him to stay that happy. He wanted to see that smile more often. He wanted to be the one who brought that smile about.

When Federico left the sphere, he set up camp and slept. He covered the orb with some of his spare clothes so the bright glow coming from it would not attract unwanted attention. He clutched the bundle tightly in his hands and held it to his chest. This object was his Kadar, and no matter what it took, he would take care of his Kadar.

* * *

**AN**: Sorry, but no sex scene, my dear readers. I'm horrible with one-shots where you just throw two people together and they somehow end up having sex despite the fact that they just met. It doesn't have that feeling of _realism_ that I love so much, so I'm afraid I can't really bring myself to write it.

If anyone was a little confused by my saying Federico was an Assassin, I got that from the Assassin's Creed Wiki. Apparently, Federico had been training to be an Assassin by his father before he was executed.

And yes, I totally skipped the execution scene where Giovanni and Petruccio die. Why? Because I'm lazy, that's why, and I regret my laziness _not at all!_


	2. KadarXFederico: Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: The Assassin's Creed series and its characters belong to Ubisoft/Ubisoft Montreal

**AN**: Just to say again, this chapter is pretty much the same as the other one, the only difference being that it is KadarXFederico instead of FedericoXKadar. Most of the beginning is the same as the first chapter. I tried to mark where it starts to change a little with an Author's Note typed in bold (which should be about halfway through the fic).

I'm sure some people are probably wondering why the heck I did it this way, so I'll try to explain my thinking a little better. I had the impression that some of the people who requested a fic where Kadar and Federico got together weren't sure whether they wanted KadarXFederico or FedericoXKadar. So I gave them both, and maybe now they will have a better idea of which pairing they prefer. I didn't want to spend a lot of time on this, so I decided to make two fics, but both of which are almost exact copies of the other, just with a few personality differences with Kadar and Federico.

**Continue the fic?:** I _have_ been getting a few reviewers who seem eager to read more of the story. I could come up with something – I think I've left quite a bit of room open for me to continue with this fic somehow. So, good news: I'll probably continue it. Bad news: I'll probably continue it _after_ I've finished with my other couple of fics that I'm working on, so it may be a couple of months before you get another chapter. As to how I will do it, I'll probably jump between the two fics. In other words, chapters 1, 3, 5, etc. will be the FedericoXKadar fic, and chapters 2, 4, 6, etc. will be the KadarXFederico fic. Confusing, isn't it -_-. I would be tempted to just make them their own separate fics, but they are too much alike already, so I didn't really see the point. Maybe after a couple of months I'll change my mind. For now, though, you just get these two one-shots until I've finished my other fics.

* * *

"Robert de Sable. His life is mine."

"No. We were asked to retrieve the treasure and deal with Robert only if necessary."

"He stands between us and it! I'd say it's necessary."

"Discretion, Altair!"

"You mean cowardice. That man is our greatest enemy, and here we have a chance to be rid of him."

Kadar waited as his brother argued with Altair. He was at a loss as to who he should agree with, so instead he kept silent and let his eyes wander over to where Robert de Sable stood. Their hated enemy. He was surrounded by only a few guards with little else protecting him. Perhaps Kadar's idol was right. This seemed like a good chance to kill him once and for all.

"You have already broken two tenets of our Creed. Now you would break the third. Do not compromise the brotherhood!"

"I am your superior, in both title and ability! You should know better than to question me."

With that, Altair jumped down from their vantage point. Kadar glanced at his brother, wondering if they should follow. Malik was obviously upset as he ground his teeth in frustration, but he followed Altair without another word, so Kadar did likewise.

Altair approached the tall Templar, but before he reached him, the Assassin called out, "Hold, Templars! You are not the only ones with business here." Kadar thought it was odd. It was part of their Creed to hide in plain sight, to not expose themselves to the enemy. Shouldn't they have at least tried to sneak up on the soldiers? Something seemed wrong here, but Kadar decided to trust his idol. Altair probably knew what he was doing… right?

Robert turned to greet them. "Ah! Well, this explains my missing man. And what is it _you_ want?"

"Blood." Altair leapt forward, but Robert caught his arm before the hidden blade could sink into his neck. Kadar saw then that Robert was beyond them in skill, for how else could he have held off Altair's blade? Perhaps his brother had been right to question this plan, and Kadar regretted not believing in him.

Robert sneered down at the smaller Assassin. "You know not the things in which you meddle, Assassin. I spare you only that you may return to your Master and deliver a message. The Holy Land is lost to him and his. He should flee now while he has the chance. Stay, and all of you will die." With that, the Templar hurled Altair through the passageway. Rubble fell behind him, and Kadar found that he and Malik were trapped here to deal with the Templars themselves. Which meant that they were in trouble.

Just as Robert ordered his men to kill the Assassins, Malik threw himself in front of Kadar at the first of the Templars. Kadar froze in shock and fear. Fear for himself and fear for his brother who had always been there for him. Protecting him as he did now. But Malik was being pressed back, and Kadar saw Robert moving towards them. Malik would not last long. Already his arm was wounded badly. Kadar knew that he had to do something.

Then a flash of light caught his eye. An orb rested on a small stand, radiating with a golden beauty. It captured Kadar's eyes, and the novice knew at once that it was the treasure they had come for.

Kadar ran for it. There was nothing else he could think of doing. He wasn't as good at fighting as his brother was. He would only get in the way.

The treasure was within reach, but as his fingers grasped it, he froze again. The power that came from it nearly overwhelmed him. His eyes drifted into the mist that swirled within it, and he could feel himself letting go of reality. He was not strong enough to resist the pull, and he knew it.

A shout from Robert made him wake long enough for him to remember his brother. Malik was trying so hard to protect him, the least he could do was help him finish the mission. Kadar's weak mind was already falling back into the treasure, but with the last bit of strength he possessed, Kadar threw the orb to Malik.

Immediately afterward, he felt two things. The first was a searing pain running up his side, and he knew it was Robert's blade running him through. The second was a pain of a different sort. One that he had never felt before. It was almost as if his very soul was being torn from his body, and he cried out in fear and agony. He didn't want to die, and he didn't want to lose his soul. He could remember looking past Robert's shoulder as he slumped against the man, defeated. He remembered looking into his brother's eyes and seeing the horror in them.

"… Run," Kadar choked out through the blood that clotted his throat. He didn't say it very loud, but he knew Malik understood.

Kadar lost himself to the light that enveloped him, but he was content that he had done all he could to save his brother. He didn't feel the sword tear out of his body. He didn't watch as Malik blinked back tears before he turned and ran. Kadar was completely at peace in the light. Was this Heaven? He thought it must be, but he didn't wonder for long before his eyes shut and he let himself fall.

* * *

He wasn't sure how long he slept. Time was strange in this place. Kadar's eyes opened blearily. Golden light broke through the fog surrounding him, but it wasn't blinding. Actually, it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

Where was he? He had thought it was Heaven. He still thought that, but it was a strange Heaven. Was Heaven supposed to be this… empty? He was warm and at peace, but there was nothing there. Surely Heaven would have people in it.

He suddenly remembered the light from the treasure in Solomon's Temple, and he realized it had the same color as the light here. Did that orb have something to do with this? He thought about the last thing he had felt before he fell asleep. It was as though he had been taken from his body. Could it have been the treasure? Was the treasure itself a gate to Heaven, or was it perhaps Heaven itself?

But wait, what had happened to Malik?! That question was more important to Kadar than all the others combined. Had his brother died in the Temple? Or had he escaped? Kadar had to know, and he turned in circles trying to find _something_ that would lead him to Malik. Where was his brother?! _Where_?!

Something shifted in the air, and Kadar was suddenly assaulted with memories, but they were not _his_ memories. They were events from the world he had grown up in. They were the _memories_ of the world, though how he knew that, he could not say.

The memories shuffled past him quickly, rising and falling in the mist until one window in particular appeared before him. A man stood before Kadar. No, two – _four_ men, but one caught his eye more than the others. He was dressed in a black robe that reminded Kadar of the customary Rafiq apparel. The novice looked closer and realized that he knew the man, though an arm was missing. Malik! His brother! He had survived!

Kadar was happy. In fact, he was _more_ than happy. He had been so worried, but seeing his brother alive, he was relieved and excited. Malik seemed to be staring right at him. All of the men were, actually. They appeared to be awed by something. Could Malik see him here? Kadar called out to him, but Malik gave no indication that he had heard. Kadar called again, but still no reaction. The cold truth hit him then. Malik could not hear him in this place. Kadar remembered then that he was dead, and Malik would never see him again. He would never again pat Kadar's head and ruffle his hair. He would never again call Kadar 'little brother.'

He didn't understand. Was he in Heaven or not? If he was, then shouldn't he be happy? And if he wasn't, then where _was_ he? Why couldn't his brother hear him, and why couldn't Kadar join him out there beyond this window? Kadar cried out his brother's name again and again, but still Malik would not hear him. _Could_ not hear him. Kadar fell to his knees and cried into his hands. Why had this happened? Why was he alone here? _Why_?!

In his pain, he did not even feel himself drift back to sleep.

* * *

He woke again, but as before, he did not know how long he slept. He still felt at peace, but the light no longer gave him warmth. Kadar scowled at the fog. What warmth could it possibly give him if there was no one here with which to share it anyway?

But there _was_ something it could give him. It could give him a window into the world. He tried to remember how to summon those memories, but even as he thought that, he changed his mind. It wasn't _memories_ of the world that he wanted. He wanted to know what was happening _now_. Time was odd here, and he wanted to know how long he had been in this place.

Even has he felt the need to know these things, a new window appeared before him. It showed a city. One that looked similar to Masyaf, but somehow different. He tried to will the image to go down into the streets, and it did. He turned corner after corner, and he recognized that yes, it _was_ Masyaf, the place where he had been raised since early childhood. But it was different. The people weren't the same, and some of the buildings were gone or replaced by newer ones. It had changed. Had Kadar truly been sleeping so long that the entire city had grown this much without him?

And what of the Assassins? Were they still there? He willed that the window show him his brothers in the present time, and suddenly everything became a blur. A new city appeared before him, but this one was far different from Masyaf, or any other city he had ever been to. There were flowers in the streets, people who were richly clothed, architecture that seemed to put more thought into decoration than defense. It was amazing, and Kadar stared in awe at it. He had never known such beauty was possible.

Suddenly, the window dived into the streets, winding its way between merchant stall and warehouse before climbing up a tall building to settle on two men who climbed its side. They looked alike enough that Kadar thought they were brothers. The taller one reached the top first, then held out a hand to help the other one up.

With a small, kind smile, the older one said, "It is a good life we live, brother." The language was different from the one Kadar knew, but he somehow understood it nonetheless. Perhaps it was the treasure which was helping him? Before Kadar could think further on it, the other man spoke up.

"Ah. The best. May it never change."

"And may it never change us."

The two fascinated Kadar. As they took to their own separate ways, he wanted to follow one. For a moment he was unsure which, but then he realized that the smaller one reminded him very much of Altair. There was an air of… _arrogance_ about him, Kadar thought bitterly. Altair had been arrogant. And it had lost Kadar his life, something that the novice could not forgive so easily.

So he followed the taller one instead. The man seemed kind and he did little to hide how much he cared for his brother. It was a strange quality in an Assassin to be so open with one's emotions. Even Malik had been somewhat reserved when they had been together. Kadar wanted to learn more about this man.

* * *

**Author's Note: This is about where it starts to change from the story in the first chapter.**

* * *

It was a trap. Somehow, the Templars had sniffed out this family of Assassins and were moving in to arrest them. The soldiers claimed the father, Giovanni, then the smaller brother, Petruccio. Kadar could only watch in horror as they searched for Federico.

Over the short time that he had been watching the man, Kadar had grown attached to Federico. He was loyal and loving, and that second quality was rare not only in Assassins, but in anyone who Kadar had ever met. It was so pure and open, and Kadar felt obligated to protect that purity. He didn't know what he could possibly do, but he _had_ to think of something. He would rather die again and face that unbearable pain of having his soul torn from his body before he let the Templars lay a hand on Federico.

But time was running out. Kadar watched in despair as the man paced in his room, oblivious to the soldiers that were bearing down on him. A knock came on his door, and Federico turned and started for it, reaching out a hand to open it. Kadar cried out for him to stop, _willed_ for him to stop. "Please, Federico! Hear me! _Don't open the door_!"

* * *

The moment his hand touched the handle, Federico knew something was wrong. He couldn't explain it, but he suddenly had the feeling that he needed to leave. Something was pulling him away from his door, toward the window. Like it was pulling at his very soul.

The knock came again, louder, but Federico hesitated. Suddenly something hammered against it, and he realized that whoever was on the other side was trying to break down his door. Surprised, Federico decided to follow that pull and he ran to the window.

He hopped down to the street below, then ran to an alley nearby where he could see the front door to his home clearly. Federico could do nothing but watch as the soldiers dragged his father and youngest brother out of their home in cuffs. He did not see them take Ezio, and for once he was glad for Ezio's usual absence from home. What was not so fortunate, however, was that he did not see his mother or sister. Surely they would be arguing heatedly with the soldiers all the way to the door. Their absence was worried him.

He prepared himself to steal into the house to find them when he felt that tug on his soul again. He turned toward where it was pulling him and found himself face to face with a soldier. The man was as surprised as Federico was to see him. Federico quickly whipped out his dagger and clocked the man on the side of his head, rendering him unconscious, but not before the man yelled out for his friends.

Federico didn't wait for the other soldiers. As the man fell heavily to the hard ground and a small group of footsteps rushed toward him, Federico ran up the nearest building and into the night.

He could almost feel his father's eyes follow him as he disappeared from sight.

* * *

Federico looked Ezio over. "That outfit. It was father's, wasn't it?" His voice shook with weariness. Ezio's eyes hardened and he gave a terse nod. They had both just watched their father and little brother die unjustly earlier that day, and they both took the loss hard. Ezio in particular was angry. More angry than Federico had ever seen him. Federico was too, but he knew that he could never hate their enemies as much as Ezio did. Federico looked more closely at his brother and saw more than hatred, though. There was cold anger, one that demanded justice. And there was determination. Federico could see that Ezio was no longer the little brother he had once known. He was a man now, and one with a purpose.

Suddenly, Federico remembered those strange sensations of being pulled from danger. They had not come from him, they had been something else. Something magical. Someone or something had saved him, and Federico wanted to know why. Though it was different from Ezio's, Federico realized that he, too, had a new purpose in life. To find the source of this strange entity that had guided him. But that meant that they would be parting ways. Federico could not join his brother in revenge, at least not yet, and he knew Ezio could not pull himself from his anger to join Federico.

Federico took one last, long look at his brother. They might not see each other again for a long time, and when they finally did, they would be changed men. Still brothers, Federico had no doubt, but changed nonetheless. And so Federico kept this image of his brother in his mind. Ezio stood tall in the white, decorative Assassin clothes. Confident. If nothing else good came of all this, at least Federico could be proud that his brother had finally grown up.

With nothing else to say, Federico merely stated, "The outfit suits you very well, brother."

Ezio blinked, momentarily stunned from his hatred and rage. He looked at his older brother directly for the first time since their father and Petruccio had been murdered. Then, slowly, he nodded.

Federico didn't look back as he rode out of the city. When he was far enough away, he looked to the sky and called out for guidance. Nothing happened for a long moment, and he wasn't sure if anyone heard him until he suddenly felt again that slight tug, this one more hesitant than the others. But before following it, Federico couldn't resist glancing back now. He was leaving his home, his family. It did not seem like something his father would have approved of, but Federico knew too that Ezio would take care of everyone. As for Ezio himself, there were plenty of others in the city who would take care of _him_. Fellow Assassins who would teach him. With that assurance in mind, Federico turned his horse toward that slight, but continuous pull at his soul.

* * *

Months had come and gone, and the path had been treacherous and difficult, but as he stared in fascination at the small golden globe before him, Federico truly believed that the journey had been worth it. In awe, he picked it up, and the mist that swirled inside it mesmerized him. He felt that familiar tug at his soul, and he followed it that last step into the sphere.

He gasped as he felt himself fall. The sensation was so sudden that he nearly panicked. Soon enough, however, he felt his fall slow, then stop completely. His feet touched ground, but when he looked beneath him, he saw only mist.

A head appeared before him, and he took a step back in surprise. From the head appeared a neck, then shoulders, then arms and torso. Soon enough, a full man stood before Federico. A human. Federico stared at him in amazement. Who was this man, and where had he come from? But more importantly, was he the one who had called to Federico? Who had saved him?

Federico licked his lips and swallowed as he tried to gather the courage to ask the stranger his questions, but the man beat him to it.

A brilliant smile stretched out on the tanned face and the stranger gave a small, light laugh. "Federico! I am glad you made it here! I was worried you would give up." The smile faltered a little, and the stranger looked him up and down, taking in the dirt and the weary stance. "It was a difficult journey for you, was it not?"

Confused, Federico blurted out, "Who are you? And how do you know my name?" It was not the most polite thing to say, but he couldn't hold himself back.

Kadar blinked, then realization crossed his features. "Ah! I apologize, brother. I sometimes forget my manners. My name is Kadar Al'Sayf. It is a pleasure to finally meet you face to face."

"Brother?"

"Yes. You are an Assassin, are you not?"

Federico was taken aback. "_Si_, I am. But how could you know these things when we have only just met?"

"Easily, actually." Kadar waved his arms, motioning to the mist surrounding them. "This… thing that we are in. I have been trying to find out what it can do during the time it took you to get here, and it has a very strange – almost frightening way of _knowing_ things. I asked it to find my Assassin brothers, and it led me to you."

Federico thought about that. "So it _is_ magical?" Of course, the mist and groundless floor should have told him as much, but he wanted to hear what the man had to say about it.

"I have no other way of explaining it. I would ask the object itself, but I fear its powers. I have already been captured by it once, which is why I am here in the first place. I am afraid of falling deeper into it, so I try to be careful when I examine it." Kadar looked at him strangely. "But you are not here to learn about me, are you? You want to use this magic to aid you against the Templars." He looked regretful. "I saw what happened to your family. If I had known half the things I do now about the magic of this treasure, then I would have tried to help you and yours more. I am sorry."

"It is… all right, Signore. It was not your fault, and I do not hold a vendetta against you. The Templars are the ones who I have a grudge against." Federico paused a moment to think. "You think that the magic here can help me and my brother?"

"Yes, though I just have one thing that I ask in return. In my memory, the treasure that I am in is small, and it should be easy for you to carry. If you keep me with you, I will be more than happy to provide you with whatever assistance I can. I just ask for some companionship in return. It is rather lonely in here."

This surprised Federico. Was that all Kadar wanted? Someone to visit him every once in a while? "Signore, you have saved my life. Surely I owe you much more than that."

Kadar looked at him thoughtfully. "Federico, I have never met a man like you before. You are caring and generous, and you are open and passionate about your ideals. It is so much different from the way I or any other Assassin I know was brought up. I have to admit that I do not think I could _not_ help you." The smaller man took a step forward and raised a hand to grasp Federico's shoulder. "And so I promise you, Federico, that I will protect you no matter what. Even if you choose not to bring me with you, I will not let the Templars hurt you, nor will I let them harm your family. Whatever it takes, I will protect you."

Stunned, Federico had nothing he could say to that, but strangely enough, it made him feel safe. He couldn't help but smile back at Kadar.

When Federico finally left the sphere, he set up camp and slept. He covered the orb with some of his spare clothes so the bright glow coming from it would not attract unwanted attention. Clutching the bundle, he held it tightly to his chest. He slept with little fear, though. Kadar was there, and Kadar would keep him safe. Just before he fell asleep, he was surprised to find that he still smiled.


End file.
